MBC.A10

Procaryontic Gene Regulation

Module description  

Module coordinator

PD Dr. Sabine Brantl

Requirements for module admission

Enrolment in one basic module

Module is required for

Specialization module

Type of module

Required elective module, advanced module

Frequency of offer (module cycle)

Yearly

Duration of module 

2 Semesters

Composition of module / types of components (lecture, exercise, seminar, practical training, excursion)

Lecture: 2 hours per week per semester

Practical training: 5 hours per week per semester

Seminar: 1 hour per week per semester

Credit points (ECTS credits)

10 cp

Work load in hours:

  • In-class studying
  • Self-study (incl. exam preparation)

120 h

180 h

Contents

Transcriptional regulation and posttranscriptional control in prokaryotes are in the focus of this lecture. Transcription repression and activation with applicatory examples like two-component systems, quorum sensing and c-di-GMP dependent regulation as well as transcriptional attenuation are discussed in detail. Three groups of protein binding small regulatory RNAs, CRISPR-Cas systems as RNA-based adaptive immune system in prokaryotes and gene regulation in archaea (transcription regulation and sRNA regulation) are another important topic. Trigger enzymes (metabolic enzymes that have a second function in gene regulation), stringent response (response to amino acid starvation), mechanisms of transposition (three large groups of transposons) and plasmids with their replication, conjugation and maintenance control systems as basis for construction of cloning vectors are subjects of the following lectures.

Learning and qualification objectives

Understanding and detailed knowledge of a multitude of mechanisms of gene regulation in prokaryotes and their applications in molecular biology, biotechnology and medicine.

Requirements for admission to module exam

Basic module in Master Biochemistry, Master Molecular Life Sciences or Master Microbiology.

Requirements for the award of credit points; exams (weighting of grades in %)

One seminar talk on a current publication (75%)

Protocol of the practical course, which can also be performed externally (25%)